At least 15 barangays of Bacolod City have been identified as “areas of concern” as the city braces for the onslaught of Typhoon Odette.
Executive assistant Joemarie Vargas said these are barangays Bata and Banago along Banago Creek, 1 and Purok Carvic, Mandalagan because of the Mandalagan Creek, 2, 8, 10 and 12 which are situated along Mambulok Creek, 27, 40, Taculing, and Singcang-Airport which are along Magsungay River, Alijis and Mansilingan due to Lupit River, and the coastal area of Barangay Pahanocoy that lies along Pahanocoy Creek.
The CDRRMO warned the coastal communities and residential areas near bodies of water of possible surges as the high tide is expected at 1.02 meters at 5:30 a.m. Friday.
Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia inspected emergency equipment, ambulances, and rescue trucks, and led the meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, where they identified areas of concern, evacuation centers, and emergency numbers.
Bacolod is under Signal No. 3, as of the 5 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Dec. 16.
Leonardia has suspended work in all city government offices since noon Thursday and the whole day Friday, and the limited face-to-face classes at the Alangilan National High School, also on Thursday and Friday.
Vargas said rescue units are prepared for any eventuality, adding that the CDRRMO emergency command center, based at the old City Hall, has been on a 24-hour shift since Tuesday to closely monitor the movement of “Odette”.
Initially, the city government readied 373 classrooms as evacuation centers but plans to increase the number as needed.
Leonardia inspected the DRRMO equipment, ambulances, rescue trucks, as well as the standby generating sets distributed to different evacuation centers.
He also ordered the DSSD to speed up the inventory of relief packs, food assistance and hygiene kits for distribution, a press release from the city said. | NND
